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Your sense of smell is so important, almost as important as your taste buds. You can recall things instantly with your sense of smell, it is extremely powerful. You can be walking down the street, smell something, and suddenly you remember something you haven’t thought of in years, just because it reminds you of the last time you smelled that scent. Half the enjoyment of eating for me, is smelling the beauty of the food.

My father was visiting this weekend, and I found out he has been having trouble with his sense of smell. He seems to be in good spirits about it, and hopefully it is just temporary. Fortunately when he walked up the stairs for dinner on Monday night, he could actually smell the smoky goodness of the Big Green Egg fired up in the back. Now that is heaven to your nose…let me tell you.

Tonight I came home from work to the worst smell ever…fish fertilizer and seaweed. I am telling you, it doesn’t get much worse than that. I walked into the house, and the girls immediately started complaining about it. Yes, the men came today to fertilize the trees and shrubs. They use all natural and organic fertilizers, but that comes with a cost, and I am not just talking about money. The smell is so bad, it leaks into the house. Since I am allergic to fish, it is even worse for me. I feel completely sick. There was only one thing to do – start cooking. I needed something quick, and something fragrant, so I went to this recipe in Cooking Light (which I adapted slightly below). I was desperate for anything to saute on the stove. This dish is so delicious and easy – what a treat it was. The problem was the good smell didn’t last long enough to wipe out the bad smell, and after dinner I found myself sick again. I couldn’t even eat dessert. I am now hiding in the office with a Pound Cake candle lit next to me. I am dealing. Good thing it usually goes away pretty quickly – especially when it is raining. I am still thankful for my sense of smell, but looking forward to smelling rain soon.

Ingredients

Sauce

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

4 teaspoons hoisin sauce

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Filling

1 pound of ground turkey breast

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

6 thinly sliced green onions (about 2/3 cup), divided

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided

3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon Sriracha (hot chile sauce, such as Huy Fong)

1 cup matchstick-cut cucumbers

1 cup matchstick-cut carrots

2 cups hot cooked brown rice

8 Bibb lettuce leaves

Preparation

To prepare sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallot, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add 1/3 cup water and next 3 ingredients (through red pepper), and stir with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice.